After 8 years

Ezzy wrote this on his Facebook. I just want to keep here for later (read: bila aku rasa kekurangan kasih sayang).

I have a little secret.
This lady has a super power.
I tell you why..  

1. I was down with severe chickenpox for the past one week and I had to take pills 5 times a day (after meal). She cook and prepared the food for me every single time without fail.
2. She woke up very early in the morning to prepare the kids' school attire and cook their bentou.
3. She drove car to send the kids to school which distance 10km away from our house every morning and fetch them at the nearest train station in the afternoon.
4. She went to 2 big events in the kids' school and participated in one of the main game on the Sport Day, while carrying our 1 year 10 months old daughter in her arm.
5. Since I need to take a lot of water, one day she went to the nearest mall and brought back bottles of 2 liter mineral water. How could she carry that?
6. Did I tell you she couldn't speak Japanese? My sons told me that they went to the wet market because mommy wanted to cook fish for my dish. She couldn't even read the signage and speak with the seller, how could she do the bargain and get the right fish?
7. She attended to the kids' homework every night after the dinner (suppose to be my routine). Again, she doesn't have the language, how this could be possible?
8. She has a small online business. She still managing the orders coming in, while at the same time struggling with the little kid nagging to be fed. Oh, our daughter is still breastfeeding.
9. After all, we are living in foreign country with English is not a common language. She is far far away from her parent, families and friends to seek for help. It is not a practice to have a maid here either. She did all of this on her own, I repeat A.L.O.N.E! (thank you very much for some guidance from families and friends via whatsapp group, etc.).
10. This lady is my wife. My kids and I are very lucky to have this wonder woman by our side. Oh, she never been infected by the disease yet and hopefully will never be because I don't think I could possibly do all of the above on my own. 

Thank you Nurzahirah Mohd. Mukhtar  

Gambar tudung senget ni jugak yg dia pilih

 posted by Ezzy Ismail on Monday, October 5, 2015 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10206980834336097&set=a.1827062113085.161735.1136272613&type=3&theater

He wrote this while he was on his way to the office. It was his first day after a week of fighting the evil chicken pox virus. I wasn't really expecting this coming from my not-so-romantic partner. To say that I am more silly, gooey, lovey, dovey romance lover compared to him is not far from the truth. I am being perempuan kan. He, being the man he is, is more reserved and hati batu cool person. So this post really took me by surprise.

Yes, he was sick. Like really really sick. Like memang-ingat-mati-punya sick. And it happened that, that same week the boys' school had 2 major events; school carnival and sports day. Since it's an infectious virus, Ezzy wasn't allowed to go out and need to be quarantined for at least a week. So I got no choice but to go alone to both events without him. It seems that the symptoms tend to be worse in adults than in children. Severe headache (started a day before the first rash appears), body aches, high fever, tiredness, loss of appetite and the spots? Pergghhhh. Started with small comel little harmless rashes then turned into horrible blisters. I can't even imagine how Ezzy managed to keep his hands from scratching those spots. They looked very damn itchy and they were everywhere, on the body, face and even in the mouth. Bad chicken. Bad bad baddddd chicken. 

No doubt, it has indeed been a trying week for me. One that saw me almost break down and cry like a baby. But to me a wife's gotta do what a wife's gotta do. In difficult time like this, you're left with no choice but to push yourself as far as you can go. 

So when I read what Ezzy wrote for me, I literally cried. It meant so much to me. What I did is little compared to what he has done for me. When you're living in a foreign land, far away from your families and friends, you only have each other. Dialah kawan, dialah lawan, dialah jiran sebelah, dialah kawan bergossip, dialah kawan memasak (dia tolong kelim karipap), dialah tukang pilih kasut, dialah segala. And he never failed to be there by my side whenever I needed him.

This post is not about me wanting to show off how romantic my husband is. Believe me, he is not. Over the years, we went through thick and thin and cherished every minute of it. Every experience has helped us to grow in many ways and made us into what we are today. We are not perfect. We argued, we've had our share of fighting over petty things, like who was the last one out but forgot to turn off the heater, and when Ezzy forgot to tell me about the boys' school trip and made me driving around macam orang gila, but at the end of the day we both know there's no one in this world we would rather have that silly arguments. It's ok. It is part and parcel of any marriage. Every fight we had made us appreciate each other more and more. We learned to accept each other's weaknesses. Well I guess that's what marriage all about. We complete each other's annoyingness life. :) 

God has chosen this man to be my Imam. And I am eternally grateful for that.

8 years ago, I made a vow. "Through weakness and strength, happiness and sorrow, for better for worse, I will care and love you with every beat of my heart." 

And I plan to stick to it till Allah permits.

p/s To prove his love, Ezzy passed the virus to me a week later. Sweet kan? Bluerghhh.

School (part II): The uniforms

Autumn is here. My favourite season. Love the colours, trees painted in all kinds of beautiful reds and oranges, the air is fresh and crisp, and of course the weather, a blend of sun and clouds and chilly breeze. Some places have started with Christmas decorations and illuminations. Romance is in the air ………...

For young couples lah. Untuk aku yang anak 3 ni, apa-apa season pun sama je ada typhoon. Our family just had our nightmare episode of chicken pox. Started with Ezzy, then when we thought maybe it's just going to be Daddy, Leia pula down. Followed by Eizwan, Mommy and the last one Eiryan. So semua jadi chicken. Rumah pun dah macam reban ayam. 3 weeks kitorang makan lauk pantang. Sakit berjemaah di negara orang ni memang banyak dugaan and pengajaran. Satu experience yang aku takkan lupa smpai bila-bila sebab parut ni mcm takde rupa nak hilang. Pengalaman yang menaikkan tahap kematangan to another level. Nantilah aku buat special entry for this. Entah bila-bila.

Sambungan from cerita sekolah Eizwan. Dah nak hujung tahun baru nak sambung Jaja ni. Perangai. ;) Alhamdulillah Eizwan dah almost 6 months at the new school, Meisei Shougakkou (elementary school). Eiryan pun under Meisei but kindergarten, Meisei Youchien (kindergarten).

Antara barang-barang sekolah Eizwan yg naik juling 
aku kena tulis nama

Buku panduan yang aku pass kat Ezzy je settle

Explanation on what, how and when to wear

Since dah hujung autumn nak masuk winter, both of them dah changed their uniform to winter uniform atau dalam nama bahasa Jepunnya … aku tak tau. Basically Eizwan has 3 uniforms; winter, spring / autumn (transition) and summer. But Eiryan only has 2; winter and summer.

Winter uniforms

Aku memang prefer sekolah yang ada uniform sebab senang tak payah pening nak fikir everyday. Bukan semua sekolah ada uniform kat sini. Most public schools they don't have any. Boleh sukahati nak pakai apa. Actually we wanted to send Eizwan to public school. Ok aku yang nak sebenarnya. Aku kan ambitious tak sedar diri sikit. Ezzy berat hati. I want Eizwan to experience school with locals. And of course nak save duit tabung. ;) But after considering the pros and cons, finally we agreed to send him to private. Ezzy was worried that if we were to send Eizwan to public school, I might have trouble communicating with the teachers and other parents. At least in Meisei, there are still teachers and parents who can speak and understand English. And most important thing is, they don't go hiding behind pillars buat-buat tak nampak every time they see me. Oh yes. Aku sergah "Good Morning!" je habis berterabur lari. Agaknya kalau boleh tembus dinding tu dah lama aku jalan sorang-sorang kat Jepun ni. But itu dululah. Time aku sendiri pun malu-malu. Now dah selamba jerit "Ohaiyou gozaimasu!". So macam konon dah terror la. Sakai orang Malaysia ni.

Summer uniforms

(aktiviti balik sekolah, either kejar kucing or tangkap bugs)

Back to cerita uniform. So sekolah akan bagi tau exact date to change the uniform. Tapi kalau ada sorang budak alien tiba-tiba datang sekolah la la la la pakai uniform season lepas, semua orang tahu itu mesti anak foreigner yang Mommy dia tak pandai baca surat and harapkan husband dia yang baca and husband dia selalu lepas baca lupa nak update wife dia. Pemandangan biasa. Ehhhhhhh bukan senang nak survive kat negara orang yang cakap macam ayam dengan itik. Ramai yang bising kenapa aku tak belajar Japanese. Aduyai. Kalau ada peluang siapa tak nak. Ingat tak penat ke nak sampaikan message pada cikgu budak-budak ni pakai sign language? Satu ayat pun aku dah mengah sbb tangan kaki semua keluar. Butttttttt.. Aku belum dapat peluang tu. My daily routines pun dah pack enough. Dulu pernah ada personal tutor hired by Ezzy's company for me. But since homework aku tak pernah nak siap and balik rumah tengok Ezzy berantakan dengan anak-anak, aku rasa tunggu dululah masa yang sesuai. Alhamdulillah aku rasa lately ni jalan tu dah ada. Every time aku kena tolong Eizwan with his homework, aku pun ambik opportunity tu untuk belajar sekali. Selalunya aku lah yg kena sekolahkan dengan Eizwan. :)

Spring / Autumn uniform

Oklah. Rasanya dah cukup dah untuk tahun ni. ;) Part III nanti aku cerita macam mana we trained Eizwan to take public transport to his school. Itu pun satu lagi huru hara. Aku tau ramai yang survive dengan cemerlangnya duduk kat Jepun ni. But nak buat macam mana. Dah memang kitorang ni anak beranak huru hara. :p

I really hope I can sustain my kerajinan to update my blog. Banyak benda aku rasa nak share and simpan untuk bacaan aku sendiri bila tua remaja nanti. Or at least untuk aku jadikan bahan nak kenakan anak-anak aku nanti. Heh heh.

School (part I): Intro to sawang

Hello hello!

Tiba2 keinginan utk tulis blog tu dtg balik. Kenapa tah. Maybe sbb baru2 ni my 1st born dah masuk Standard 1. So I really think I should share our experience. Kalau takde org nak baca pun at least utk aku baca bila aku dah muda balik nnti.

STANDARD ONE??!! Damn.

Dah sebulan lebih Eizwan start sekolah. Sini sesi persekolahan start bulan April. So kids yg lahir January to March that year akan masuk sesi yg sebelum tu. Satu lagi pengalaman baru di bumi Jepun ni. Aku tau aku kena tulis pengalaman duduk kat sini. Everytime ada big event aku mesti gatal mulut pg ckp dekat Ezzy, 

"I think I should write this in my blog.." 

dan disahut dgn "Dah banyak kali ckp mcm tu kot..". 

Cis. Ni dah masuk tahun ke 6 duduk kat tempat org tapi blog still bersawang. Haih. But kat mana aku nak korek masa utk duduk mengadap laptop ni? Dari hari ke hari aku cuba sebenarnya. One word a day pun jadilah. Hampas. Everyday aku berangan, 

"Ok, make sure hari ni siapkan semua kerja cepat then boleh sit down tulis blog.." 

Who am I kidding?? Siapkan kerja?? Pernah siap ke?? Memang taklah. Dah banyak kali kena tipu. Nampak mcm dah nak habis......... sikit lagi........ sikit lagi........

"Mommy! Abang Eiwan tumpahkan milk kat kitchen!" Mengemop satu floor. Ok, almost........ almost........

"Oh mannnnnn.. Eiyan tak sempat.." Basah seluar and toilet mat. Membasuh pulak. Ok, dah siap. On laptop, tarik kerusi....

"Mommy! Eiyan pukul Eiwan dgn Triceratops (haaaa.. Itu nama anak angkat aku yg baru)." Diikuti dgn pekikan dari mak gorilla. Makanya kena masuk mahkamah pulak jadi judge. Sesi mahkamah satu hal. Belum lg drama bila hukuman dijatuhkan. Then sesi kaunseling pulak.

Then duduk balik depan laptop. Baru nak tarik nafas, Cik Leia pulak tarik tangan nak susu. Habis bg susu, machine pulak berbunyi. Keluarkan 1 load masuk another load. Dah tu takkan nak tengok je kain2 tu masuk almari sendiri. So lipat, gantung, bla bla bla. So from satu kerja ke satu kerja, tengok2 dah pukul 9.30 mlm, time utk tidurkan 3 manusia kecik ni. Makanya pergi balik ke laptop, gerakkan cursor ke shut down, terkuburlah satu hari lagi niat nak update blog.

Lately ni time tu mcm makin ada. At least until the boys come back from school la. Lepas tu dlm keadaan rumah yg huru-hara mcm dlm zoo, jgn haraplah aku nak pegang laptop. Leia pun dah pandai masak. Dia masak macaroni from last month tak siap2 lagi. Dah pandai duduk diam2 layan DVD. So ok lah. Usually aku akan habiskan semua basic routines; mandikan kids, buat bento, breakfast, kemas bilik, laundry, before hantar Eiryan to kindy. So after balik tu, aku dah boleh sit down buat kerja lain. Oh aku pun tgh usahakan a small business, so lagilah huru-hara kan. Eh sebelum itu, aku update sikit pasal family aku walaupun takde org tanya. 

1. Tahun ni aku 35 years old young. Perggghhhh mudanyaaaa.. Oh shaddappp.

2. Anak aku dah 3 org. Yup. Jaja yg dulu boleh terfikir boleh pregnant ke aku ni, dah 3 org anak dia. :P Aku ganas dulu. Dengan Taekwondo, berlari, melompat, memanjat pokok, tergolek masuk longkang, main futsal, pendek kata (aku sedar aku tak berapa nak tinggi), segala aktiviti yg tidak mencerminkan keperempuanan aku buat. So mestilah risau. Sampai sekarang, everytime cakap pasal jumlah anak-anak yg aku ada ni dgn Mak, dia mesti keluarkan statement 

"Itulah. Dulu sikit punya risau takut tak boleh pregnant. Haaaa now? Ambik kau." 

Dush kepala sendiri. So Leia tu adalah anak aku yg no. 3. Bukan anak jiran sebelah. Nama penuh Cik Leia, Eiliyah Zahra. Nanti bila aku ada masa aku cerita pasal kehuru-haraan Cik Leia dikeluarkan melihat cahaya dunia. Eceh.

3. Tahun ni tahun ke 6 duduk di negara org (aku tau dah cakap tadi tp saje nak bg post ni nmpak panjang). Eizwan 7 yo. Esok. Yup birthday dia esok tapi Mommy la la la tak fikir nak buat apa lagi. Eiryan 5 yo next month. And my princess Leia this Dec 2 yo.

Semua betul except for Eizwan. ;)

Ok esok or lusa or next year sambung. Nak pg ambik Eiryan. The boys dah balik jangan harap aku nak pegang laptop.

TTFN.

Dulu aku tak tau

Kegembiraan seorang ibu dan ayah menerima 
perkhabaran cahaya mata pertama.
Dulu aku tak tau.

Kesengsaraan seorang ibu membawa kandungannya 
selama 9 bulan dan melahirkan nyawa.
Dulu aku tak tau.

Kepayahan seorang ayah ke hulu ke hilir mengendong 

membesarkan seorang permata.
Dulu aku tak tau.

Kepenatan seorang ibu dan ayah mencari rezeki untuk
sediakan yg terbaik untuk anaknya.
Dulu aku tak tau.

Kerisauan siang dan malam seorang ibu apabila anaknya
sakit melanda.
Dulu aku tak tau.

Ketakutan seorang ayah apabila anaknya
leka di luar sana.
Dulu aku tak tau.

Kemarahan seorang ibu dan ayah apabila anaknya
melakukan perkara yg bakal merosakkan masa depannya.
Dulu aku tak tau.

Kesedihan seorang ibu dan ayah apabila anaknya
menghiris hati mereka dengan perbuatan dan kata-kata.
Dulu aku tak tau.

Kelegaan seorang ibu dan ayah apabila anaknya
menjadi seorang insan akhirnya.
Dulu aku tak tau.

Kesyukuran seorang ayah apabila anaknya
menundukkan kepala sujud kepada Maha Pencipta.
Dulu aku tak tau.

Hari ini umur aku 35 tahun.
Aku juga seorang ibu.
Akhirnya aku tau.

Mak dan Ayah.
Terima kasih untuk semuanya.
Ampunkan segala yang terluka.
Halalkan yang menjadi darah dan daging ja.

Doa ja sentiasa semoga Allah SWT memelihara Mak dan Ayah sebaik-baiknya dunia dan akhirat sepertimana Mak dan Ayah 35 tahun dulu memegang erat seorang cahaya mata yang pertama.